The short answer
Start on whichever one excites you more. When you daydream about playing guitar, do you picture an acoustic or an electric? Pick that one — and don't overthink it.
Here's why it's that simple: an acoustic and an electric are the same instrument. Same six strings, tuned the same way, same neck, frets, chords, and strumming. They do the same things. The only real difference is that one uses electricity and one doesn't. There's no "right" one to start on, the stakes are low, and the skills carry straight from one to the other. The only thing that actually predicts whether you'll stick with it is how excited you are to pick it up.
I'm Nick Pantano. I own and teach at Sound Space at The Goat Farm Arts Center in West Midtown Atlanta, where my co-teacher David Pritchard and I teach guitar (acoustic, electric and classical), bass, ukulele and beginner keyboard. Here's the honest, no-nonsense version of this decision.
"But don't you have to start on acoustic?" No.
This is the single most common belief people bring to this question: you have to start on acoustic to build calluses and discipline, and electric is the easy way out you learn later. It's old, dated, get-off-my-lawn advice that hasn't been relevant in decades.
You build calluses and discipline on any guitar. Both come from commitment — from playing regularly, ideally every day — and have nothing to do with whether the guitar is acoustic or electric.
I'm living proof. I started on electric at age 12 and didn't even own an acoustic until I was 18 or 19. I did essentially all of my music school training on my electric, including four full quarters of classical guitar at the Atlanta Institute of Music and Media. I got As in classical and graduated with a 4.0, all on an electric. Hand me an acoustic today and I play it just fine. The instrument you start on doesn't gatekeep your progress. Your consistency does.
Let the music you love make the call
The cleanest way to decide is to ask what you dream about playing. Your favorite music usually points right at the answer:
Dreaming about classical? Start on a nylon-string classical guitar.
Dreaming about bluegrass or singer-songwriter campfire strumming? An acoustic steel-string is the natural fit.
Dreaming about rock, punk, blues, metal — anything with a band and some volume? That's an electric.
If you're genuinely on the fence
Plenty of beginners don't have one obvious genre — they just want to play their favorite songs, or strum and sing. If that's you and you're truly 50/50, here's the one practical tiebreaker worth knowing: an acoustic has the lower barrier to entry. All you need is the guitar (and maybe a few picks). To get the full electric experience, you'll want a guitar plus an amp and a cable. A first acoustic and a first electric guitar often cost about the same — the difference is the amp.
One reassurance if your heart says electric but your budget says "not yet on the amp," an electric still makes sound unplugged. You can hear it quietly without an amp — it's just not as instantly fun as plugging in. So a missing amp isn't a reason to talk yourself out of the electric you actually want.
And if money isn't the deciding factor, I just point people back to the real question: what's the majority of what you dream about? Personally, I love both, but electric is what fires me up. I was a huge Jimi Hendrix fan as a kid and wanted to play like him, and most of the players who still inspire me are electric players. My acoustic is more of a utility instrument, for playing outside, around friends, anywhere there's no amp. Both are wonderful. The question is which one lights you up.
How big is this decision, really? (Not very)
It's worth saying plainly, picking one does not lock you in. I played nothing but electric for six or seven years, and when I finally picked up an acoustic, I transitioned over without a second thought. The skills transfer cleanly in both directions.
Most guitarists end up owning both eventually anyway. Sometimes you just want to grab a guitar without fiddling with an amp, and since the acoustic came along long, long before the electric, anyone who falls in love with the history of the instrument tends to want one in the house. So whichever you choose first, the other one will still be there when you're ready. There are no high stakes here.
How we make it easy at Sound Space
We teach on both, because, again, it's the same instrument. Both David and I trained at the Atlanta Institute of Music and Media with four quarters of classical guitar each, so we can even get you started on classical (if you're aiming for a classical performance degree, we'll point you to a dedicated specialist).
Whatever guitar you bring, we'll help set it up so it actually plays comfortably for you — swapping strings, making a small neck adjustment, lowering action that's too high. No matter what you pick, electric or acoustic, the instrument shouldn't feel like it's fighting you. There's always a little beginner struggle while you build strength and dexterity, but the guitar itself should be working with you, not against you.
And because we're a lesson studio, not a retailer — we don't sell instruments — any guidance we give you on what to buy is 100% honest, with nothing to upsell. If you want a deeper buying guide, see our post on what guitar a beginner should buy.
Still on the fence? Here's the nudge.
Don't overthink this. Nobody starts playing guitar out of nowhere — there's always a moment, a person, an inspiration: a famous player, a family member, a friend, even just spotting a guitar in a shop. It's never arbitrary. You already have an image in your head.
So get honest about it. When you picture yourself playing, what's the scene? Sitting around a campfire with an acoustic? On a stage with a band? Playing quiet solo jazz in the corner of a cocktail lounge? Find your real answer, and then sprint in that direction and don't look back. When you're ready for the other one, you'll feel that same pull. For your very first guitar, nothing matters more than which one gets you most excited to play.
The best way to find out is to put one in your hands. Your first lesson with us is a free trial — bring whatever you've got, or come try one.
Book a free trial lesson at Sound Space →
Frequently asked questions
Should a beginner start on acoustic or electric guitar? Start on whichever one excites you most. Acoustic and electric are the same instrument — same strings, tuning, and technique — so neither is the "correct" first choice. Pick the one that matches the music you dream about playing, because excitement is what keeps you practicing.
Do you have to learn on acoustic before electric? No. That's outdated advice. Calluses and discipline come from playing regularly, not from the type of guitar. Plenty of players (including me) start on electric and do just fine — I even studied classical guitar on an electric.
Is electric guitar easier to play than acoustic? With both straight off the shelf, an electric can feel a little easier, but that's a setup issue, not a rule. Adjusting the string action and string gauge can make either an acoustic or an electric comfortable for a beginner.
Is acoustic or electric cheaper to start with? Acoustic has the lower barrier to entry because you only need the guitar — no amp or cable. A first acoustic and first electric guitar often cost about the same, but the electric experience adds the cost of an amp. An electric is still audible unplugged if you need to add the amp later.
Will the skills transfer if I switch later? Yes. The skills carry over cleanly in both directions, and most guitarists end up owning both eventually. Picking one doesn't lock you in.
Can a beginner start on classical guitar? Yes. A nylon-string classical guitar is the right starting point if classical music is your dream. At Sound Space, both teachers studied classical guitar and can get you started.